Philadelphia, PA Zoning
Districts & Requirements

Every zoning district in Philadelphia with permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and density requirements — in plain English. Philadelphia adopted a comprehensive new Zoning Code (Title 14) in 2012, replacing a 1962 ordinance. The code uses a letter-based system: RSA (single-family attached), RM (multi-family residential), CMX (commercial mixed-use), IRMX/ICMX (industrial mixed-use). The number after the letters generally indicates intensity — higher numbers mean more density, height, and FAR. The Mixed-Income Housing Bonus and the 10-year tax abatement (modified in 2022) are the two most important incentive programs shaping development.

Official Development Code →Interactive Zoning Map →GIS Portal →

16

Zoning districts

6

Overlay districts

1,600,000

Population

2012

Code adopted

Quick Reference

Find your district, see what you can do. Click any row for details.

DistrictAt a glanceHeightCoverage
RSA-5Philadelphia's rowhouse district. 16-ft-wide lots, 38-ft height, single-family only by right.38 ft75% (intermediate lot) / 80% (corner lot)
RM-1Low-rise multi-family, 38-ft height cap. The entry point for apartment projects in Philly.38 ft75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
RM-2Mid-rise apartments, no hard height cap. FAR-controlled density with setback-based height.No fixed max (setback-controlled)Per setback/bulk controls
RM-3High-rise residential, no height cap. Up to 500% FAR. Tower-in-park typology.No fixed max (setback-controlled)Per bulk/setback controls
RM-4Highest-density residential. No height cap, no setback requirement, maximum flexibility.No fixed maxPer CMX-4/CMX-5 bulk controls where applicable
CMX-1Corner-store commercial. Same dimensions as the surrounding residential district. Neighborhood-scale retail.Per adjacent residential district (typically 38 ft)Per adjacent district
CMX-2Neighborhood commercial corridors. 38-ft height, 150% FAR. The bread-and-butter mixed-use district.38 ft75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
CMX-2.5Mid-scale mixed-use, 45 ft / 4 stories. 250% FAR. The sweet spot between neighborhood and downtown scale.45 ft / 4 stories (52 ft / 5 stories with bonus)75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
CMX-3Mid-rise mixed-use, 55 ft. 250% FAR base with major bonus potential. Community-scale commercial.55 ftPer dimensional table
CMX-4High-rise mixed-use, no height cap. 500% base FAR, up to 1,200% with bonuses. Center City and University City.No fixed max (bulk/massing controls)100% (first 65 ft) / 75% (65-300 ft) / 50% (300-500 ft)
CMX-5Downtown core. 1,200% FAR base, up to 2,000% with bonuses. Philadelphia's most valuable commercial zoning.No fixed max (bulk/massing controls)100% (first 65 ft) / 75% (65-300 ft) / 50% (300-500 ft) / 40% (500-700 ft)
RMX-3High-density residential with commercial flexibility. No height cap. Found near Center City edges.No fixed maxPer bulk controls
IRMXArtist studios, live/work, light industrial + residential. The creative economy district.38 ft at street (first 8 ft of depth); 60 ft (beyond 8 ft depth on narrow streets)75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner); 85%/90% if 50%+ industrial ground floor
ICMXCommercial + light industrial buffer zone. No residential allowed. Warehouse-to-office conversions.Per dimensional tablePer dimensional table
CA-1Drive-throughs, gas stations, car washes. The only district where auto-oriented uses are by right.38 ftPer dimensional table
I-2Manufacturing, warehousing, distribution. Philadelphia's workhorse industrial district.Per dimensional tablePer dimensional table

Residential — Single-Family

1 district in Philadelphia

RSA-5

Residential Single-Family Attached 5

The most common zoning district in Philadelphia — covers the vast majority of the city's rowhouse neighborhoods. One dwelling unit per lot. The play here is acquiring adjacent lots for assemblage or converting to multi-family via variance.

What you can build

  • ✓Single-family attached dwelling (rowhouse)
  • ✓Home occupation
  • ✓Accessory dwelling (limited)
  • ✗Multi-family without variance
  • ✗Commercial or retail
  • ✗Duplex or triplex by right

Key numbers

Height
38 ft
Lot min
1,440 SF (960 SF in Council Districts 1, 2, 3, 7)
Width
16 ft
Coverage
75% (intermediate lot) / 80% (corner lot)
Front
Determined by block average
Side
0 ft (attached)
Rear
9 ft or 20% of lot depth, whichever is greater

What this means in practice

A standard 16 x 90-ft Philly lot (1,440 SF) at 75% coverage = 1,080 SF footprint. Three stories at 38 ft gets you ~3,000 SF of living space. The tax abatement makes new construction pencil even on narrow lots — a gut-rehab or new-build rowhouse in appreciating neighborhoods can yield 15-20% ROI with the abatement in place. If you're assembling RSA-5 lots, check whether adjacent parcels are CMX-2 — that changes everything.

Residential — Multi-Family

4 districts in Philadelphia

RM-1

Residential Multi-Family 1

Moderate-density multi-family in established neighborhoods. 38-ft height cap keeps it rowhouse-scale. Density is controlled by lot area per unit, not unit count — 360 SF of lot area per unit for the first 1,440 SF, then 480 SF per unit above that.

What you can build

  • ✓Multi-family apartments
  • ✓Single-family or duplex
  • ✓Group living (with use registration)
  • ✓Day care, religious assembly
  • ✗Commercial retail by right
  • ✗Office above ground floor
  • ✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height
38 ft
Lot min
360 SF per unit (first 1,440 SF) / 480 SF per unit (above 1,440 SF)
Width
16 ft
Coverage
75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
Front
Determined by block average
Side
0 ft (attached) / 5 ft (detached)
Rear
9 ft or 20% of lot depth

What this means in practice

On a 2,400 SF lot: first 1,440 SF / 360 = 4 units, remaining 960 SF / 480 = 2 units — total 6 units at 38 ft (3 stories). That's a 6-unit building on a lot barely bigger than a rowhouse. The mixed-income bonus adds 7 ft of height and up to 50% more units. RM-1 is where small-scale developers make their money in Philly — the unit density relative to lot size is generous.

RM-2

Residential Multi-Family 2

Mid-rise residential with no fixed height maximum. Height is controlled by setback requirements — the building must be set back from the street centerline by 75% of its height. FAR up to 300% with bonus potential. This is the district for 6-12 story apartment buildings.

What you can build

  • ✓Mid-rise apartment buildings
  • ✓Multi-family residential
  • ✓Group living
  • ✓Institutional uses
  • ✗Standalone commercial
  • ✗Industrial
  • ✗Retail (limited to accessory)

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max (setback-controlled)
Lot min
Lot area per unit varies by building size
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per setback/bulk controls
Front
75% of building height from street centerline
Side
Varies by height
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

The 75%-of-height setback rule is the real constraint. On a 60-ft-wide street (30 ft to centerline), you need 30 ft / 0.75 = 40 ft max height before stepping back. Wider streets = taller buildings without step-backs. At 300% FAR on a 10,000 SF lot = 30,000 SF of residential. With the mixed-income bonus, you can push higher. The tax abatement makes RM-2 sites near transit particularly compelling.

RM-3

Residential Multi-Family 3

High-density residential for apartment towers. No height maximum, FAR up to 500%. Found along the Parkway, in University City, and in Center City fringe locations. The setback controls create a tower-on-podium or tower-in-park form.

What you can build

  • ✓High-rise apartment towers
  • ✓Large-scale multi-family
  • ✓Group living facilities
  • ✓Institutional
  • ✗Standalone commercial
  • ✗Industrial
  • ✗Retail (limited)

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max (setback-controlled)
Lot min
Per dimensional table
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per bulk/setback controls
Front
Setback-to-height ratio applies
Side
Varies by height
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

500% FAR on a half-acre (21,780 SF) lot = 108,900 SF of residential — roughly 100-130 apartments. With the mixed-income floor area bonus, you can push significantly higher. RM-3 sites are rare and command premium prices because the entitlement is so generous. If you're evaluating an RM-3 parcel, the land cost per entitled unit is the metric that matters.

RM-4

Residential Multi-Family 4

Philadelphia's most permissive residential zoning. No height cap, no minimum setback from the street, highest density allowed. Found in Center City and University City. Build lot-line to lot-line.

What you can build

  • ✓High-rise apartment towers
  • ✓Luxury condominiums
  • ✓Student housing
  • ✓Group living
  • ✗Standalone commercial without CMX overlay
  • ✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max
Lot min
Smallest lot area per unit of any RM district
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per CMX-4/CMX-5 bulk controls where applicable
Front
0 ft (no minimum)
Side
0 ft
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

RM-4 is Center City residential zoning. No setback, no hard height cap — the constraints are FAR, bulk massing controls, and what the market will support. Most RM-4 sites trade as development sites, not income properties. The 10-year tax abatement (even in its reduced post-2022 form) makes condo towers viable here. Compare carefully with CMX-5 sites, which offer the same density plus commercial.

Commercial Mixed-Use

6 districts in Philadelphia

CMX-1

Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use 1

Spot commercial for corner stores, cafes, and small offices embedded in residential blocks. The building must match the dimensional standards of the most restrictive adjacent district — so it looks and feels like the neighborhood around it.

What you can build

  • ✓Small retail (convenience store, cafe)
  • ✓Personal services (barbershop, dry cleaner)
  • ✓Office
  • ✓Residential above or behind
  • ✓Mixed-use
  • ✗Drive-throughs
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses
  • ✗Bars or restaurants over 1,000 SF
  • ✗Uses requiring loading docks

Key numbers

Height
Per adjacent residential district (typically 38 ft)
Lot min
Per adjacent district
Width
Per adjacent district
Coverage
Per adjacent district
Front
Per adjacent district
Side
Per adjacent district
Rear
Per adjacent district

What this means in practice

CMX-1 is not a development play — it's a use entitlement layered on top of existing residential dimensions. The value is that you can run a small business without rezoning. If you're buying a CMX-1 property, you're buying a corner store or converting a rowhouse ground floor to commercial. The building itself can't be any bigger than the surrounding rowhouses.

CMX-2

Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use 2

Philadelphia's most common commercial district — neighborhood shopping streets like Passyunk Ave, Girard Ave, and Frankford Ave. 38-ft height keeps it rowhouse-scale. 150% FAR. Ground-floor commercial with apartments above is the standard product.

What you can build

  • ✓Ground-floor retail and restaurants
  • ✓Apartments above commercial
  • ✓Office
  • ✓Personal services
  • ✓Mixed-use buildings
  • ✗Drive-throughs
  • ✗Auto sales
  • ✗Heavy commercial
  • ✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height
38 ft
Lot min
None
Width
None
Coverage
75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
Front
Build-to line (0 ft)
Side
0 ft (attached)
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

150% FAR on a 1,600 SF lot = 2,400 SF of gross floor area. That's a ground-floor retail space (800-1,000 SF) with 2 apartments above. Retail rents on active Philly corridors run $20-35/SF NNN. With the mixed-income bonus, you can add 7 ft of height and up to 50% more units. CMX-2 is the most common zoning for rowhouse-corridor commercial projects — lenders understand it, contractors know it, and the market absorbs it.

CMX-2.5

Center City Commercial Mixed-Use 2.5

Transitional mixed-use district between neighborhood corridors and Center City. 45 ft / 4 stories with 250% FAR. Found along Broad Street outside Center City, in Northern Liberties, and on major corridors. Active ground-floor use required on primary frontage.

What you can build

  • ✓Mixed-use with active ground floor
  • ✓Apartments (3 floors above retail)
  • ✓Office buildings
  • ✓Restaurants and entertainment
  • ✓Hotels
  • ✗Drive-throughs
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses
  • ✗Heavy commercial
  • ✗Industrial

Key numbers

Height
45 ft / 4 stories (52 ft / 5 stories with bonus)
Lot min
None
Width
None
Coverage
75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner)
Front
Build-to line (0 ft)
Side
0 ft (attached)
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

250% FAR at 4 stories is the sweet spot for wood-frame mixed-use. On a 5,000 SF lot: 12,500 SF gross — 2,500 SF retail + 10,000 SF residential (8-12 apartments). The mixed-income bonus pushes you to 5 stories and more units. CMX-2.5 sites on Broad Street and in Northern Liberties are among the most active development corridors in the city. With the tax abatement, new-build CMX-2.5 projects produce strong cash-on-cash returns.

CMX-3

Community Commercial Mixed-Use 3

Community-serving mixed-use for larger commercial and residential projects. 55 ft height with 250% base FAR — but the floor area bonus program can push significantly higher. Found along major arterials and at transit nodes.

What you can build

  • ✓Large mixed-use buildings
  • ✓Apartment buildings with ground-floor retail
  • ✓Office buildings
  • ✓Hotels and entertainment
  • ✓Big-box retail (with conditions)
  • ✓Auto sales (with special exception)
  • ✗Heavy industrial
  • ✗Outdoor storage
  • ✗Junkyard

Key numbers

Height
55 ft
Lot min
None
Width
None
Coverage
Per dimensional table
Front
Build-to line (0 ft)
Side
0 ft or per table
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

The bonus is the story here. At 250% base FAR, a 20,000 SF lot = 50,000 SF. Stack bonuses (mixed-income housing, green building, transit improvements, underground parking) and you can potentially double that. A 5-story mixed-use building with structured parking is the typical CMX-3 product at transit-adjacent sites. Run the pro forma with and without bonuses — the delta is significant.

CMX-4

Center City Commercial Mixed-Use 4

Philadelphia's primary high-rise district outside the downtown core. No fixed height cap — controlled by bulk massing and step-back requirements. 500% base FAR with up to 700% additional through bonuses. Center City fringe, University City, and major development corridors.

What you can build

  • ✓High-rise mixed-use towers
  • ✓Office towers
  • ✓Hotels
  • ✓Large-scale retail
  • ✓Apartment buildings
  • ✓Entertainment venues
  • ✗Heavy industrial
  • ✗Outdoor storage
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses (limited)

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max (bulk/massing controls)
Lot min
None
Width
None
Coverage
100% (first 65 ft) / 75% (65-300 ft) / 50% (300-500 ft)
Front
Build-to line
Side
Per bulk controls
Rear
Per bulk controls

What this means in practice

The step-back massing controls define the building form: 100% coverage at the podium (first 65 ft), then step back to 75% for the tower. On a 15,000 SF lot at 500% FAR = 75,000 SF base. With bonuses (public art adds 50%, green building adds 50-400%, mixed-income adds floor area), you can push well past 100,000 SF. The bonus stacking is the key to making CMX-4 sites pencil for high-rise construction — without bonuses, the land cost per SF of entitled area often kills the deal.

CMX-5

Center City Core Commercial Mixed-Use 5

The downtown core — Market Street, Broad Street, Rittenhouse Square, and the convention center area. 1,200% base FAR (1,600% within the Center City/University City FAR Map). Up to 800% additional through bonuses. No height cap. This is where Philadelphia's tallest buildings go.

What you can build

  • ✓Skyscrapers and high-rise towers
  • ✓Class A office
  • ✓Luxury hotels
  • ✓Large-scale mixed-use
  • ✓Convention and entertainment
  • ✓Any commercial use
  • ✗Heavy industrial
  • ✗Outdoor storage

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max (bulk/massing controls)
Lot min
None
Width
None
Coverage
100% (first 65 ft) / 75% (65-300 ft) / 50% (300-500 ft) / 40% (500-700 ft)
Front
Build-to line
Side
Per bulk controls
Rear
Per bulk controls

What this means in practice

At 1,200% FAR, a 10,000 SF lot = 120,000 SF of building. With bonuses, that same lot can support 200,000 SF. The public art bonus (100% FAR + 12 ft height), green building bonus (up to 400% FAR), and transit improvement bonus (up to 400% FAR) can stack. The lot coverage step-backs above 65 ft create the classic Philly skyline silhouette. CMX-5 land trades on a per-FAR-SF basis — $30-80/entitled SF depending on location within Center City.

Residential Mixed-Use

1 district in Philadelphia

RMX-3

Residential Mixed-Use 3

High-density residential district that also permits commercial uses. Similar to RM-3 in density but with broader use flexibility. Found along Center City transition zones where residential towers mix with neighborhood retail.

What you can build

  • ✓High-rise apartments
  • ✓Mixed-use (residential + commercial)
  • ✓Office
  • ✓Retail and restaurants
  • ✓Hotels
  • ✗Heavy industrial
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses
  • ✗Outdoor storage

Key numbers

Height
No fixed max
Lot min
Per dimensional table
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per bulk controls
Front
Per dimensional table
Side
5 ft (detached, 4 stories or fewer) / 8 ft (5+ stories)
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

RMX-3 gives you the density of RM-3 with the use flexibility of CMX. If you're comparing an RMX-3 site to a CMX-4 site, the RMX district may have lower land costs because it's less well-known — but the entitlement can be nearly as valuable. Check bonus eligibility carefully: RMX-3 qualifies for the mixed-income floor area bonus.

Industrial Mixed-Use

2 districts in Philadelphia

IRMX

Industrial Residential Mixed-Use

Designed for the maker economy — artist studios, artisan manufacturing, and residential in the same building. Requires 50% industrial or 60% commercial use on the ground floor. Found in Kensington, Fishtown edges, and other transitioning industrial corridors.

What you can build

  • ✓Live/work units
  • ✓Artist studios and workshops
  • ✓Artisan manufacturing (custom woodworking, ceramics)
  • ✓R&D facilities
  • ✓Residential (upper floors)
  • ✓Neighborhood commercial
  • ✗Heavy manufacturing
  • ✗Standalone residential without commercial/industrial
  • ✗Big-box retail
  • ✗Auto-oriented uses

Key numbers

Height
38 ft at street (first 8 ft of depth); 60 ft (beyond 8 ft depth on narrow streets)
Lot min
None specified
Width
None specified
Coverage
75% (intermediate) / 80% (corner); 85%/90% if 50%+ industrial ground floor
Front
Build-to line
Side
0 ft (attached)
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

The ground-floor commercial/industrial requirement is the constraint and the opportunity. A typical IRMX project: maker spaces or artist studios on the ground floor, apartments above. The 50% industrial threshold unlocks 85-90% lot coverage — a significant density bump. IRMX sites in Kensington and Fishtown are among Philly's best value-add plays because land costs are lower than CMX corridors but the residential demand is identical.

ICMX

Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use

Buffer district between industrial and residential/commercial zones. Allows commercial and low-impact industrial uses but no residential. Common in transitioning industrial areas where the market wants office, flex, and last-mile logistics.

What you can build

  • ✓Office and coworking
  • ✓Light manufacturing and assembly
  • ✓Warehousing and distribution
  • ✓Flex/R&D space
  • ✓Retail and restaurants
  • ✓Self-storage
  • ✗Residential (any type)
  • ✗Heavy manufacturing
  • ✗Outdoor junkyard or salvage

Key numbers

Height
Per dimensional table
Lot min
None specified
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per dimensional table
Front
Per dimensional table
Side
Per dimensional table
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

ICMX is the no-residential industrial district. If you're looking at an ICMX site and want apartments, you need a rezoning to IRMX or CMX. The upside: ICMX land is cheap relative to residential-entitled land. Warehouse-to-office conversions and last-mile distribution facilities are the most common plays. If the neighborhood is gentrifying, the long-term bet is rezoning to CMX or IRMX.

Auto-Oriented Commercial

1 district in Philadelphia

CA-1

Auto-Oriented Commercial 1

Auto-oriented commercial along highways and major arterials. Drive-throughs, gas stations, car dealerships, and big-box retail with large surface parking. This is where uses prohibited in CMX districts land.

What you can build

  • ✓Drive-through restaurants
  • ✓Gas stations and car washes
  • ✓Auto sales and repair
  • ✓Big-box retail with surface parking
  • ✓Hotels
  • ✗Residential (by right)
  • ✗Heavy industrial
  • ✗Uses requiring pedestrian-oriented design

Key numbers

Height
38 ft
Lot min
None specified
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per dimensional table
Front
Variable (surface parking allowed in front)
Side
Per dimensional table
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

CA-1 sites along Roosevelt Blvd, Broad Street in North Philly, and Aramingo Ave are potential rezoning candidates as these corridors densify. A CA-1 to CMX-3 rezoning can multiply land value 3-5x if the market supports mixed-use. The auto-oriented entitlement is worth less each year as the city pushes walkable development.

Industrial

1 district in Philadelphia

I-2

Medium Industrial

General industrial district for manufacturing, processing, and distribution. Found in the Navy Yard, Northeast Philadelphia, and along the Delaware River. No residential. The conversion play is rezoning to IRMX or ICMX as neighborhoods transition.

What you can build

  • ✓Manufacturing and processing
  • ✓Warehousing and distribution
  • ✓Truck terminals
  • ✓Office (accessory to industrial)
  • ✓Data centers
  • ✗Residential
  • ✗Retail (standalone)
  • ✗Hotels
  • ✗Entertainment venues

Key numbers

Height
Per dimensional table
Lot min
None specified
Width
None specified
Coverage
Per dimensional table
Front
Per dimensional table
Side
Per dimensional table
Rear
Per dimensional table

What this means in practice

I-2 sites near transit or gentrifying neighborhoods are long-term rezoning plays. The Delaware River waterfront I-2 parcels are increasingly being rezoned for mixed-use. If you're buying I-2 land for industrial use, make sure the neighborhood isn't transitioning — NIMBYism from new residential neighbors can make industrial operations difficult even if your use is legal.

Development Bonus Program

Philadelphia's Mixed-Income Housing Bonus is the primary density incentive. In lower-density districts (RM-1, CMX-1, CMX-2, CMX-2.5): provide 10% affordable units and get 7 ft additional height plus 25% more dwelling units (moderate-income at 60% AMI) or 50% more units (low-income at 50% AMI). In higher-density districts (RM-2 through RM-4, CMX-3 through CMX-5, RMX, IRMX): get additional gross floor area instead of units, ranging from 25% to 400% of lot area. Affordability period is 50 years minimum. In-lieu payments are available: $20-25/SF of lot area or $25,000-30,000 per bonus unit (lower-density); $25-30/SF of bonus floor area (higher-density). Additional bonuses stack: public art (50-100% FAR + 12 ft height), green building/LEED (50-400% FAR), transit improvements (25-400% FAR), underground parking (50-200% FAR), and retail space (12 ft height per 5,000 SF). Run the pro forma with every applicable bonus — the stacking potential is enormous, especially in CMX-4 and CMX-5.

Overlay Districts

Center City Overlay District (/CDO)

Covers downtown Philadelphia roughly bounded by Vine, South, the Schuylkill, and 6th Street. Adds height bonuses for green building, transit improvements, and public space — up to 48-72 ft of additional height depending on the bonus category. Also adds design review requirements for buildings over 65 ft. If you're developing in Center City, the CDO bonuses can dramatically increase your entitled floor area.

Neighborhood Conservation Overlay (/NCO)

Applied to over 20 neighborhoods to protect existing character. Adds use restrictions, design standards, and limits on demolition beyond base zoning. Each NCO has neighborhood-specific rules — check the exact NCO designation for your parcel. Common restrictions: limits on building height relative to neighbors, required storefront transparency, prohibition on drive-throughs even in CMX districts.

Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Overlay (/MIN)

Mandatory inclusionary zoning in select areas of North and West Philadelphia, University City, and South Kensington. Requires 20% affordable units at 40-60% AMI for projects with 10+ units — no opt-out, no in-lieu payment. Effective July 2022. This is Philadelphia's first mandatory inclusionary requirement and significantly impacts pro formas in affected areas.

Historic District Overlays

Philadelphia has over 15 local historic districts including Society Hill, Old City, Rittenhouse-Fitler, Spring Garden, and Diamond Street. Philadelphia Historical Commission (PHC) review required for exterior alterations, new construction, and demolition. Plan for 2-6 months of PHC review. Hardship exemptions exist but are difficult to obtain. In historic districts, the building you can actually get approved may be significantly smaller and more expensive than what base zoning allows.

Flood Plain Overlay (/FPO)

FEMA-mapped flood zones along the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, Cobbs Creek, Wissahickon Creek, and Tacony Creek. Restricts development in the floodway and requires flood-proofing in the flood fringe. Base flood elevation plus 1.5 ft freeboard determines first-floor height. Check FEMA maps before making an offer on any site near a waterway — flood insurance and foundation costs can kill a deal.

Earth Cut Overlay (/ECO)

Applies to specific development areas designated for large-scale planned development, typically 3+ acres. Eligible for enhanced height bonuses (up to 60 ft additional for low-income housing, 48 ft for moderate-income). Design review required. If your site is in an ECO, the bonus potential is substantial — but so are the review timelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up zoning for a specific Philadelphia address?

Use the City's Atlas tool at atlas.phila.gov — enter any address to see base zoning, overlays, historic district status, and flood plain designation. For what the zoning actually means for development potential, you need to cross-reference the district's dimensional table, applicable bonuses, and any overlay restrictions.

What happened to the 10-year tax abatement?

Still exists but reduced. Applications filed before January 1, 2022 got the original 100% abatement for 10 years. Applications after that date get a declining abatement: 100% in year 1, dropping 10% each year (90% year 2, 80% year 3, etc.). The city also added a 1% construction tax on residential building permits. The abatement still matters for pro formas — even at the reduced rate, it significantly improves returns for new construction versus rehab of existing buildings. Mayor Parker's administration has floated restoring the full abatement in underinvested neighborhoods.

What is the Mixed-Income Housing Bonus and how does it work?

Set aside 10% of units as affordable (50% AMI for low-income bonus, 60% AMI for moderate-income) for at least 50 years, and you get additional height, units, or floor area depending on your district. In CMX-2 or RM-1, that means 7 extra feet of height and 25-50% more units. In CMX-4 or CMX-5, it means substantial additional FAR. You can also make an in-lieu payment to the Housing Trust Fund instead of building units on-site. The bonus almost always pencils in higher-density districts because the additional market-rate floor area far exceeds the cost of the affordable units.

What is the difference between CMX-2 and CMX-2.5?

CMX-2 is neighborhood-scale: 38 ft height, 150% FAR, designed for rowhouse corridors. CMX-2.5 is transitional: 45 ft / 4 stories, 250% FAR, designed for larger mixed-use on broader corridors. The practical difference is one extra story and 100% more FAR — on the same lot, CMX-2.5 lets you build significantly more. CMX-2.5 also requires active ground-floor use on the primary frontage. If you're buying on a corridor that has both, CMX-2.5 parcels command a premium.

Can I build residential in an industrial zone?

Only in IRMX (Industrial Residential Mixed-Use), which requires 50% industrial or 60% commercial use on the ground floor. Pure industrial districts (I-1, I-2, I-3) and ICMX do not allow residential at all. If you want residential on an industrial site, you need a rezoning — typically to IRMX, CMX-2.5, or CMX-3. Industrial-to-residential rezonings in Fishtown, Kensington, and along the Delaware waterfront have been common over the past decade.

How do the CMX-4 and CMX-5 step-back requirements work?

The first 65 ft of building height can cover 100% of the lot (the podium). Above 65 ft and up to 300 ft, maximum lot coverage drops to 75% (the tower must step back). Above 300 ft, coverage drops to 50%. Above 500 ft in CMX-5, it drops to 40%. This creates the podium-and-tower form. The step-backs apply to the building footprint at each height tier — design the podium to maximize retail and parking, then center the tower for views and structural efficiency.

What does the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay mean for my project?

Each NCO has different rules, but common restrictions include limits on building height relative to adjacent structures, required minimum storefront transparency percentages, prohibition on drive-throughs, and limits on demolition of contributing structures. Check which specific NCO applies to your parcel — they are not interchangeable. NCOs in gentrifying neighborhoods (Francisville, Point Breeze, Graduate Hospital) tend to have the most restrictive new-construction standards.

How does the Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Overlay differ from the Mixed-Income Housing Bonus?

The bonus is voluntary — you opt in for extra density. The overlay (/MIN) is mandatory — if your project has 10+ units in an overlay area, you must set aside 20% of units as affordable at 40-60% AMI. No in-lieu payment option. No opting out. The /MIN overlay applies to specific areas in University City, South Kensington, and parts of North and West Philadelphia. Check atlas.phila.gov for exact boundaries before making an offer.

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